


The Man Behind the Mask

by GaeilgeRua



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Battle of Hogwarts, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Sirius survives the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Slash, mentions of anal sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-02 19:45:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21166901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaeilgeRua/pseuds/GaeilgeRua
Summary: What happens when childhood friends and lovers end up on the wrong side of war?





	The Man Behind the Mask

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Houseofmalfoy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Houseofmalfoy/gifts).

> Written for the Unhappily Ever After Fest 2019 on Tumblr.
> 
> Many thanks to my Alpha and beta team. Any errors after they looked it over are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything recognizable from the HP world. I am not making any money off of this.
> 
> **Prompt:** SLA13-They've been having a secret affair for years now, but in the heat of battle and because of the death eater's masks making it impossible to really recognize anyone, Sirius delivers a (nearly or completely, up to you) fatal blow to Rodolphus. He realizes it only when the mask slips off when he falls to the ground.

Sirius stared at the body lying in the rubble that was once part of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Usually, a dead Death Eater wouldn't have stopped Sirius in his tracks, but their mask slipping certainly did.

"Rodolphus," he gasped silently, his heart lodged in his throat.

* * *

The first time Sirius remembered meeting the Lestrange heir, Sirius was only four, and Rodolphus had just turned eight. Nearly a man in their world as far as the older boy was concerned, and Sirius? He looked up to him like any good little Pureblooded boy.

At that point, the Black heir was still too young to realise what his parents were getting him and his younger brother into, but to him, it didn't matter because he was drawn to Rodolphus and vice-versa. The two older sons became fast friends that Christmas Day of 1963, much to the pleasure of their parents.

Rabastan and Regulus were a different story. The two younger boys fought like Kneazles and Crups, much to the chagrin of both sets of parents.

* * *

"No," Sirius whispered as he collapsed beside his body.

He could've sworn he knew what Rodolphus' mask looked like, so Sirius had been making sure to avoid it at all costs as he didn't want to get into this situation. And yet here they were.

The other wizard had been battling Tonks, and Sirius had just felled another Death Eater when he saw that she was starting to weaken. Not recognising the mask he wore, Sirius sent a slicing hex the dark wizard's way.

* * *

When Rodolphus had gone off to Hogwarts almost three years after they met, Sirius was understandably upset, but that was when the wool was pulled from in front of his eyes. Over the course of their first year away from each other, his friendship with the older boy is what helped keep Sirius together as his world fell apart. He started to understand what his parents wanted from him and his supposed role in the wizarding world as the heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. The more he learned, the more he realised that the path his parents were leading him on was not something he wanted.

He had tried reaching out to his friend, but his parents or rather his mother quickly put a stop to that. Walburga Black wanted her eldest to be independent and not have to rely on others.

It wasn't until both boys were at Hogwarts together that Rodolphus and Sirius could freely speak with each other, but by then Sirius' mother's damage had been done, and their differing school houses only added to the discord. The announcement of Rodolphus' engagement to Sirius' older cousin Bellatrix the summer after Sirius' third-year fueled the fire between them.

During the winter holidays of Sirius' fifth year, thirteen years after they first met, all of their pent up anger and frustration exploded in a way neither Rodolphus or Sirius expected. As they lay next to each other, sweaty and spent, Sirius thought he'd feel guilt over what he was doing to his cousin, but he couldn't find it in himself to regret what they had done. His cousin was already lost to the cause, and Sirius was pretty sure his new lover was too. He tried multiple times to try and save Rodolphus, but they were half-heartedly best as he knew they were falling on deaf ears. It didn't stop him from coming back for more because the feeling of Rodolphus' come trickling from his abused arsehole felt way too good.

Even when they were locked in Azkaban together, they found themselves in adjoining cells. Their abilities to transform into their animagus forms, plus the close proximity to each other helped stave off most of the insanity that plagued those around them. They still did not get out of there unscathed though.

Somehow after they both escaped from the prison, they found themselves in each other's presence. But never once in their time together after Azkaban did Rodolphus tell Sirius that his mask looked different.

* * *

Shaking himself from the thoughts of the past, Sirius stumbled closer to the prone body.

His breath came out in ragged pants as Sirius tried to come to terms with what he'd done.

"Why did you change your mask?" His question was quickly lost as the battle raged around them. It had long since become the furthest thing from his mind. Sirius' voice rose as he continued, "Why didn't you tell me?! Why in the bloody hell did you not tell me you changed your mask?!"

He didn't know. How could he have known that his lover was under the mask? If only he hadn't thrown that slicing curse. Then perhaps he would be alive. Maybe his Rodolphus wouldn't be dead in the courtyard of their school. His heart broke as he realised that if he had known who was behind the mask, then Tonks would probably be dead. It was too bad his efforts were all for naught.

"I'm sorry," Sirius choked out, closing his eyes and bowing his head. His voice could barely be heard as he said, "I'm so sorry."

In his misery, Sirius missed the fluttering of Rodolphus' eyelids. The older wizard looked up at him and smiled sadly. The two of them had come so far and yet not far enough in their lives, and to Rodolphus, it seemed poetic that they would end up being the ones that killed each other.

With muscles protesting, he raised his wand.

"I am too," Rodolphus replied, his voice was nothing more than the quietest of whispers in the battle that raged around them. He raised his wand, just enough to cast one last spell. "_Avada Kedavra._"

Sirius didn't have time to react before the bright green light from Rodolphus' wand engulfed him. His breath left his body in a whoosh as he slumped over next to Rodolphus.

Dropping his wand, Rodolphus reached out to touch Sirius' wild locks. He coughed up the blood that had been pooling in his lungs.

"Sorry, my love," Rodolphus gasped with his final breath.

A single tear slid through the dirt and grime of his temple.


End file.
